Chillar, who has started at weak-side linebacker the past three games, strained a groin in practice on Wednesday and was limited the past two days.

"We're going to take the weekend," McCarthy said. "He strained his groin. He's making progress, so I won't have a decision until game day on Brandon Chillar."

Chillar was one of three players listed as questionable on the injury report, along with end Jeremy Thompson (groin) and running back DeShawn Wynn (calf). Thompson also will be a game-day decision, McCarthy said. The Packers haven't needed a third running back recently, so odds are Wynn won't play.

Center Scott Wells (concussion) was one of nine players listed as probable and is expected to start against Houston. It looked early in the week like Wells would miss a game, but he was cleared this morning, took all the snaps in practice and "seemed fine," according to McCarthy.

No surprise here: the NFL took issue with Julius Peppers' flattening of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Sunday's game.

The NFL has Peppers $10,000 for unnecessary roughness, because he "unnecessarily struck the quarterback late and out of bounds," a league spokesman confirmed in an e-mail this afternoon.

The hit sent Rodgers flying and drew a personal foul penalty that gave the Packers a first down at the Panthers 7 late in the fourth quarter. The Packers settled for a field goal on the drive, though, and Carolina responded with a touchdown to win 35-31.